Folding table



Aug. 26, 1930. H. GALE 1,774,364

FOLDING TABLE Filed March 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 26, 1930.

H. L. GALE 1,174,364

FOLDING TABLE Fi led March 24, 28 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE HARRY L, GALE, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIG-NOE TO THE E. T. 'BURROW'ES- COMPANY, 01 PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE FOLDING- TABLE Application filed March 24, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in light, portable, folding tables particularly adapted for card playing and similar uses. The invention more especially has to do with improved leg bracing means for such tables.

A form of leg bracing means commonly employed consists of a transversely resilient brace rod pivotally connected with a leg at one end and provided at its other end with a lateral extension that has a pivotal sliding engagement with a guide groove in a bar of the top supporting frame, and which at the completion of the unfolding movement of the leg is adapted to enter and beretained in a locking recess or socket formed in the rear wall of said guide groove near one end thereof. In the manufacture of constructions of the character referred to it is, as will be readily appreciated, it decided advantage not to be compelled to cut the guide groove in the frame bar with such nicety that the guide groove at one end terminates in an abrupt Shoulder exactly at the point of location of the locking notch or socket, but when the guide groove is permitted to extend beyond the locking recess or socket, the lateral extension of the brace will, in the opening movement of the leg, slide by the locking recess or socket or partially slide by the socket before dropping into it in such a way as to wear the edges of said recess or socket and destroy or seriously lessen its effectiveness for securely locking the brace end to firmly hold the leg in unfolded position.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved leg bracing means of the general type referred to, which will beentirely free from the serious objection H1611? tioned and which will be of simple, practical construction easy to produce and assemble, and of a more satisfactory, reliable durable nature.

The invention, with other objects and advantages thereof,'and the particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts comprising the same, will be understood from the hereinafter contained detail description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof,

Serial No. 264,344.

and illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a table constructed in accordance with the present invention, the legs being shown in folded position. I

Fig. 2 is a detail section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 22 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a detail transverse section of a part of the supporting frame and top, and a leg and its brace, the legbeing shown in unfolded position.

i Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation with parts shown in section, the leg being shown in nearly closed or folded position.

Fig. 5 is a detail section and plan, the leg being shown in folded position.

lVhile a preferred embodiment of the invention which has proven satisfactory in practice, is illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that changes and variations may be made in the particular construction shown, and the invention embodied in other forms, as will appeal to those skilled in the art and falling within the scope of the appended claims, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. 7

Referring to a detail description of the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the top supporting frame is shown rectangular shape composed of bars 1 suitably secured together at their ends. 2 designates a relatively light, thin top of paper board or other suitable material,

and 3 is acover of leatherette, felt or other 'ular construction shown the legs are pivotally mounted directly against the inner sides of the frame, the bars 1 of the frame being provided with longitudinally extending recesses 1 to accommodate the braces 6. In

ill

the mounting of the legs, brackets are employed, each bracket being shown in the form of a metal strip having portions 8, 9, disposed at substantially right angles to each other, the portions 8 being rigidly secured flat against one of the side bars 1 of the frame, and the portion 9 extending in parallel spaced relation with an end portion of one of said bars.

The legs 5 are positioned between the portions 9 of the brackets and the do bars 1 of the frame, the pivotal connection being made by screws 10 passing through the bracket portions 5) and the end portions of the legs 5 and entering the bars 1 of the frame. ll designatcs reinforcing strips which are secured to the top 2 at the under side thereof in any desired way for instance by gluing.

The braces 6 each consists of a spring rod having an inwardly offset portion \5 at one end pivotally connected with one of the legs 5, and having at its other end a lateral extension 7 adapted to slidably engage a 10in gitudinally extending guide groove 8 in one of the bars 1 of the top supporting frame. The braces G, which are conveniently constructed of spring wire and which may be slightly bent or bowed, as shown, are so ad justed that through their lateral resiliency, they exert pressure laterally upon their offsetportions 6 and lateral extension 7, said braces in this way functioning to hold the legs 5 in folded position with the free end portions of the legs pressed a ainst the outer ends of the reinforcing strips 11, and to hold the legs firm and rigid when in open position, taking up any lost motion due to possible looseness in the connection of the legs to the supporting frame. In the rear wall of each of the guide grooves 8 near one end thereof is formed a locking recess or socket 12 adapted to receive and retain the lateral extensioi'i 7 of the brace when the leg 5 is moved to its unfolded position, the end portion of said lateral extension being adapted, to spring into the said recess or socket at the end of the opening movement of the leg.

In accordance with the present invention a metal plate 13 secured to the side of each of the bars 1 of the top supporting frame to extend longinidinaily along. of and to overlap or project partially over the front of the guide groove 8. The plates 13 are secured to the bars 1 by any suitable means, for instance by small nails or brads 1%, as shown. The lateral extensions 7 of the braces G are each provided with a retaining shoulder portion 7 to extend in rear of the plates 13 and cooperate therewith to positively maintain the lateral extension 7 of the braces 6 in engagement with the guide grooves 8 The retaining shoulder portion 7 of each brace 6 is conveniently formed by slotting the lateral extension 7 at 7 at one side thereof intermediate its ends, as shown.

Each plate 13 provided near one end with an offset portion 13 disposed in transverse alignment with the guide grooves 8 and opposite to a point adjacent o e side of said locking recess or socket 12 to prevent the lateral extension 7 of the brace (3 from overrunning the locking recess or socket 152 in the opening movement of the legs, said offset portion 13 being :'2ced laterally of the locking recess or socketl2 to lie in alignment with the path of movement of the lateral extension 7 to engage the same at a point well inwardy of the outer end thereof.

Each of the plates 13, shown, terminate short of the end portion 8 of the grooves 8 to leave tl section of the grooves 8 fully open to permit of the ready withdrawal from and insertion of the lateral extension 7 of the braces (5 with their retaining shoulder portions 7 in engagement with the grooves 8 for the purpose of adjusting the spring tension of the braces (J and for the convenient assembling or renewal thereof.

It will be noted that the special construction and arrangen'unit of parts hereinbefore set forth affords leg bracing means of the type in which the guide for the brace is n'ovidcd by a groove in one side of a bar of the frame, and with a locking recess or socket in the rear wall of the guide groove, that permits of allowing the guide groove to extend beyond the locking recess or socket but at the same time will prevent the lateral extension of the brace in the opening movement of the leg from overrunning or partially overrunning the locking recess or socket and, through wear of the edges of the recess or socket in this way, destroying its effectiveness for securely locking the br. co to firmly hold the leg when in open position. It will be observed that this result is accomplished simply by the plates associated with the grooves, and that said plates also serve as means for positivcly maintaining the lateral extensions of the braces in engagement with the guide grooves against accidental displacement for the major portion of the opening and closing mm emonts of the leg while permitting of the ready disengagement of the same manually therefrom. The plates 13 further serve as stops to limit the lateral n'iovemont of the lateral extension 7 of the braces in disengaging the same from the locking recesses or sockets. The simple plate structure performing these several functions constitutes with the guide groove guiding and locking means for the leg braces of simple compact construction that can be easily produced and assen'lbled and which is of a highly satisfactory, reliable and serviceable nature.

VVhat- I claim is:

In a folding table, a top supporting frame, a leg pivoted to the frame to fold within the same, said frame having a bar provided with Ill) CFI

a longitudinally extending groove in one side thereof and With alocking recess in the rear Wall of said groove intermediate the ends thereof, a flat plate secured to one side of said bar to extend longtiudinally alongside of and project partially over the groove, and a transversely resilient brace rod pivotally connected at one end with the leg and having at its other end a lateral extension slidably engaging said groove and provided with a retaining shoulder portion disposed back of the said plate, said lateral extension being adapted to engage the said recess when the leg is moved to open position, and said plate having an oilset portion extending laterally from a side marginal portion thereof in the plane thereof and disposed in transverse alignment With the guide groove opposite a point adjacent one side of said recess to serve as a stop to prevent the lateral extension from overrunning the recess in the opening movement of the leg.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

HARRY L. GALE. 

